Abstract [en]

It can be difficult to make accurate assessments in conflicts like Afghanistan today. NATO has defined the operation in Afghanistan as a counterinsurgency (COIN) operation. The uncertainties are many and where the changes of success varies considerably over time. It also means that in many cases, there must be parallel processes for the security policy work. The complexity of this means it has developed multi-functional strategies. The basic idea is to coordinate military and civilian approaches to achieve maximum impact. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the difficulties of the security policy objectives in a COIN operation. The survey data shows that the political objectives must be clear and that there must be an end goal (Exit Strategy). The political aspect is also responsible for the existence of a common understanding of what is to be achieved, and to coordinate resources to best effect. Financial resources are important but not obvious to influence developments in the conflict. The effect of aid and development work is questionable due corruption and poor coordination. Without clear objectives from the political level, the military power may have difficulty in helping resolve the conflict and then the chances are that the effort will lead in the wrong direction. Finally, it is clear that the media has a huge impact on how conflict is perceived and that irregularities can affect the whole strategy and therefore that the objectives are not achieved.